The Illusion Series: Road to Destiny
by JediMasterJaina
Summary: *CHAPTER 7 UP!!!* Takes place about two to three months after the end of Whisper. Follows Jacen and Tenel Ka through their wedding and Jaina and Jag through the pregnancy. Major J/TK and J/J fic!
1. Captured

Chapter II: Captured  
  
Jag Fel ran down the corridor to the hangar. He always wondered why the hangar was so far away from the pilot's quarters. He had been running for about two minutes without being stopped. The door to the hangar was right there. If he could just reach it. Then, he saw tile. He felt the pain a moment later.  
  
"Where are you going? You're wanted for questioning!" Kyp Durron said. "Ha! Get to the birg, man! Wait...Why are you crying? I didn't hit you that hard!"  
  
"I-I-I can't feel her, Durron! I can't feel Jaina! That's why I'm crying! She may be dead!" Jag said, standing up slowly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get to Hapes!" he continued, gasping for breath.  
  
"Oh wait! I'm coming with you! I can help!" Kyp said, running after Jag.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Jag yelled back.  
  
"Fel, stop! You need me! If you can't sense Jaina, then maybe I can! C'mon! You know you want to!" Kyp said, replying in a way to suggest he knew Jag was going to say that.  
  
"No." Jag said, reaching his and Jaina's ship, a heavily modified YT-2200 called the Frozen Amethyst. It was a wedding gift from Jacen and Tenel Ka. He punched the unlock codes into the hatch and walked onboard.  
  
"Gods! I'm tired of all this crap you people feed me! So what, I blew up a planet? I was under Exar Kun's influence. It wasn't really my fault. And further more, everyone treats me with such disrespect. Granted, I earned much of it, but still! All I want to do is see you and Jaina happy! That's all! Nothing else! Please!" Kyp yelled at him in an angry tone.  
  
Jag sighed. "Got any clothes?" he asked. He saw Kyp hold up a bag and smile mischievously. "Take the room at the end of the hall. Not the 'fresher, the one before that. Toss your stuff in there. After that, hop in the top turret. We may need to blast out of here." Jag said quickly. He turned around and went to the cockpit to start the Frozen Amethyst up.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Jacen Solo woke with a groan. Thoughts flashed through his head.  
  
Where am I? Is Jaina here? Is Jag okay? I was in a corridor. Shot. With a bowcaster. That's the last I remember.  
  
Jacen looked around the room in search of a door. There was one. He went over and tried to open it.  
  
Locked.  
  
He sat there for a minute wondering where he was. There was a faint smell in the air. He hadn't smelled it in months. What was it? He searched his memory.  
  
Yuuzhan Vong! That's what it was! It was the smell of Vong!  
  
"Oh, sith!" he muttered. Suddenly the door opened. There stood three Yuuzhan Vong warriors One of then grabbed him and threw Jacen over his shoulder. They carried him to another room. There sat an Embrace of Pain. But it was in use. His sister was in it. It suddenly dawned on him where he was.  
  
He was on Yuuzhan'tar!  
  
The door opened to reveal a petite female human. Jacen didn't even have to ask who it was. In the pit of his stomach, he knew.  
  
It was Danni.  
  
Danni Quee.  
  
She had betrayed him and Jaina. He had trusted her. And she did this! How long had she been working for the Vong? How long had she been earning the trust of everyone, only to stab them all in the backs? He couldn't believe that he had ever called her a friend; much less had feelings for her.  
  
"Having fun yet, Jacen?"  
  
Jacen glared at the blonde woman. She had brought him here. He would never forgive her for this.  
  
"I asked you a question, Solo. Answer me."  
  
Again, Jacen glared at the woman. She did not deserve an explanation. He owed her nothing. And now, she meant less than nothing to him.  
  
"Well, if you won't answer me, then I'll just leave you to watch your sister. You already know what she's going through." And with that Danni turned and left.  
  
Jacen watched Jaina lying limp in the Embrace of Pain. He knew that he could get her out of there, but if he did, he'd have to put himself or someone else back in to appease the creature. And if he did that, there was no way he'd be able to help Jaina heal. Vergere wasn't here with her tears, and Jacen knew that he had once again been cut off from the Force.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Tenel Ka had always been the type of person who was considered rational. She thought before she acted. She knew the consequences of her actions. So, when she had announced her engagement to Jacen Solo to the Hapan consortium, they knew that she had made the right decision.  
  
Now, she stood before her people making the rashest decision of her life.  
  
She was ordering an assault on Yuuzhan'tar.  
  
The people were outraged! They couldn't believe their queen could've come to such a decision. Only, they didn't know what she knew. Jacen and Jaina had been taken to Yuuzhan'tar. And she was determined to get them back.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Danni walked out of the containment chamber, smiling broadly. She had managed to do something that no one else could. She had captured both Solo twins. And to make the deal she had cut with the Vong even sweeter, Jaina was pregnant with twins. It wasn't common knowledge, but she knew because she had been helping Cighal with Jaina's pre-natal routine. Danni knew that if she was going to take the twins, it had to be now.  
  
Danni walked straight to Lord Shimmra's chambers. He would want an update on the condition of both sets of twins promptly. The door to the room opened revealing a grotesque looking Supreme Overlord grilling a lesser looking Shamed One about something or other.  
  
"You will tell me where the Jeedai heresy is coming from!"  
  
The Shamed One stood rigidly. Danni couldn't tell if it was a male or female, but whatever they were, it was obvious they were not going to tell.  
  
"TELL ME!!!" Shimmra roared.  
  
Danni spoke up. "Perhaps, my lord, there are other ways to 'persuade' this one into giving up their secrets."  
  
Shimmra looked up at the small, blonde woman. He had no reason to listen to her. She had proven nothing to him. All she had really done was capture the Solo twins. But for some reason, he allowed her to speak.  
  
"What could you possibly know human?"  
  
"More than you could ever dream to know about the Force and the Jedi, Lord Shimmra."  
  
This Danni Quee has never mentioned anything about this before, Shimmra mused. "Why should I believe you?"  
  
"Because you have no reason not to."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Jacen sighed, resigned. He knew he had to get Jaina out of the Embrace, even if it meant putting himself into it just to do it. Jaina was more important now. She was the one who was pregnant. And Jacen knew how to deal with the pain. But he wasn't looking forward to it. 


	2. New Horizons

Disclaimer: Own them, we do not. Play around with the characters, we do.  
  
Road to Destiny by Jaina Solo-Fel and Master Jacen  
  
Chapter 1: New Horizons  
  
Jacen Solo awoke to the sun rising over the horizon of Mon Calamari. He watched the sight with awe. It never ceased to amaze him, but he couldn't help but think about the rainbow bridge of Yuuzhan'tar. He remembered how he had looked on the creation in wonder. He could still see the exact patterns of the flickering colors on the night sky. He felt a pang of guilt in his heart. He knew he should be regretful that he was no longer on Yuuzhan'tar. He knew he should be grateful that he was home, or at least some semblance of home in a sense. But part of him still missed the untamed jungle that Coruscant had become.  
  
Pushing back the thoughts of Yuuzhan'tar, Jacen stretched his arms above his head, trying to get the last of the sleep kinks out of his body. There was so much he had to do today. He had to meet with the Galactic Alliance Intel group. Even after being back for a year, they still had so many questions about the Vong that only he could answer. Then, he had a meeting with the Jedi Council to discuss new scouting missions. After that, he knew that his uncle Luke would want to meet with him. Jacen's revelations about the Force had proven to have a drastic impact on the Jedi. Granted, though, these same revelations had no impact yet on the war with the Vong.  
  
Resigning himself to the distinct possibility of getting no rest today, he headed for the 'fresher.  
  
Just another day in the life of Jacen Solo, he thought.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Jag Fel awoke to the warmth of Jaina Solo-Fel's petite body pressed against him, one of her arms draped over his body and her leg twisted in the sheets and curled around his own. This seemed to be her favorite sleeping position. Jag didn't care. He loved waking up like this. Jaina seemed to fit against him perfectly. He inhaled deeply, catching the scent of Jaina's hair with his breath. They had only been married for two months, but Jag knew deep down, that their marriage was the kind that most only dreamed of having. Granted, the first two months had not been entirely bliss. Jaina was pregnant after all. Jag simply smiled at this though and turned himself over, his hand now able to gently caress the slight swell of her stomach. Jaina stirred. Jag looked on his wife as her eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Morning, beautiful." Jag almost had to laugh at himself. This was the way he greeted Jaina every morning and every morning she responded the same way:  
  
"Shut up, handsome," and with that she would throw the covers over her head.  
  
Today was no exception.  
  
Jag chuckled lightly as he pulled the sheet away from Jaina's face. She crinkled her nose and brows at the sudden onslaught of brightness. Jaina never ceased to amaze him. Even in her half-awake state, she was still stunning. He couldn't believe that she was actually his. She had chosen him. He thanked his lucky stars for every day they had together.  
  
Jaina groaned at the light. "Jag, I wanna go back to sleep!" she managed to slur out.  
  
Jag laughed. "We have a briefing at 0800. It's 0700 now, Jaya. You need to get up and get something to eat."  
  
Jaina's face brightened slightly at the mention of food. After the first month of her pregnancy, she had become ravenous. Jaina ate anything that was set in front of her. Jag was just grateful that she wasn't having bouts of morning sickness and that her mood swings weren't too extreme. Yet.  
  
Jag climbed out of the bed and headed to the 'fresher while Jaina padded off to the kitchen. Jag laughed once again. Jaina wasn't much of a cook. He wondered what this morning's disaster-no, "culinary creation"-would be.  
  
"I heard that!" Jaina called. She laughed to herself. She knew what Jag was thinking was right. She wasn't really much of a cook, but she did try. It wasn't her fault that Jag didn't have a taste for her food. Jaina turned her attention back to the food.  
  
Then the klaxons went off.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Jacen was halfway through the shower when he heard the klaxon in his room. His thoughts flew to Jaina and Jag.  
  
Jaina! Don't even think about it! You're pregnant! With twins nonetheless! He sent her via the Force. He could feel her response and a struggle.  
  
Apparently Jag had the same thoughts as him. Jacen sighed and shook his head. He knew that Jaina wanted to be in her X-Wing in the middle of the battle, but right now, it was too dangerous. Quicker than a flash, he threw on some clothes and went into the emergency corridor leading straight to the Command Center. He flashed his ID at all sorts of guards who didn't even have time to stand in his way. After waiting in line for about five minutes, he was encountered by two security guards.  
  
"Sir, you have been ordered by the general to take Colonel Jagged Fel's spot in Twin Suns Squadron." The larger of the two said. "If you will please come with us, we will show you the quicker way." He continued.  
  
Jacen stretched out with the Force, and finding the two men had no dishonorable intentions toward him, followed the men. Jacen sighed, as he knew why Jag would be absent from the battle. Jaina after all did have the Force on her side, and Mara Jade Skywalker as a former master. Suddenly, the back of his neck tingled. He knew that feeling all too well. It was the feeling of impending doom. He looked behind him, and saw a cloaked figure raising a bowcaster at him.  
  
"Down!" He yelled, grabbing the two guards in front of him. He used the Force to enhance his speed, but still took a blaster bolt to the right shoulder. He slowly fell to the ground. He barely had enough energy in him to raise his head just in time to see about a hundred red bolts hit the empty air where the cloaked figure had just been.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Jaina Solo-Fel had just finished subduing her new husband when she too collapsed, from being shot in the back.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Jag Fel woke up from the deep sleep his "lovely" wife had just put him in. He quickly realized that the klaxons were still ringing, though he didn't know why. The newsvids that were on reported that the battle over Mon Calamari had been a success. He ran out of his room looking for somebody who might know what was going on. He searched around for a minute until he saw a portly Intel officer.  
  
Jag ran to him and spoke: "Officer, what the hell is wrong now? And further more where is my wife? Answer me NOW!"  
  
The Intel officer, named Juret Harget was shaken to the core by Jag Fel's outburst towards him. But he remained stone faced.  
  
"Colonel Fel, sir, your wife and here brother were kidnapped by the Peace Brigade." Juret saw the fearless man shrink down and saw tears forming in his eyes. "Colonel Fel, we have tracked all ships leaving Mon Cal in the time of the kidnappings. We will find them. However, if you will please accompany me to the brig, you must be detained for questioning."  
  
He saw the Chiss officer quiver and start to sob. It slowly dawned on him why. If he had his wife kidnapped by somebody who could get in and out of a military base undetected, with two of the most recognizable people in the galaxy, then he would be scared too. Just then, Juret Harget made the hardest decision of his life. This was the first time he had ever questioned his orders, but he knew that he had to do this.  
  
"All right, here's what I'm going to do for you. I will look the other way so you could get to your clawcraft. We sent the ship list of those that have left to Queen Mother Tenel Ka, in the Hapes Cluster. She will help you." Shee! Why am I so nice? "Listen, I'm gonna get shot on the spot for this. Go get your wife and her brother." He saw the colonel walk down the hall leading to the hangers.  
  
He turned around to go to his quarters, and saw himself. At that moment, Juret Harget felt a knife enter his chest.  
  
The fake Juret took the real Juret to his quarters, to hide the corpse. Once he keyed it open and hid the body, he pulled out a villip "Mmmassssssttteerr" he hissed. "I have successfully entered the enemy base, got the packages, and I am successfully hiding myself as an Intel officer..What now?" he asked.  
  
"Take the twins to Yuuzhan'tar and deliver them to our Masters. Danni Quee.Agh! Get out! Aaaggghhh! Rirora Kwaad out." The voice on the other end said. 


	3. Into the Storm

**Chapter 3: Into the Storm**

_The wind whipped around her hair, catching the thick brown tresses in a swirl. Behind her, she could feel the calm, soothing presence of her husband, Jag. In front of her, she saw two small children, both with the thick chestnut hair of their mother and as they turned to face her the intense pale green eyes of their father. She stretched out with the Force, feeling the two small children as blazing presences._

_"Hanna Cherith Fel, what do you think you're doing?" she heard Jag yell teasingly._

_"I'm following Kin-kin!" the small girl yelled as she chased after her brother._

_"Anakin Soontir! Stop running and get back here! There's a storm coming!" But the two children kept running. She wanted to run after them, but a strong hand held her back._

_"Jaya, you're not going out into this weather, not like that."_

_Jaina__ looked at herself, trying to understand Jag's words as her pushed past her and ran after the children. With a gasp, she understood. As she looked at herself, she found that she could not see her feet over the significant swell of her stomach. She was pregnant, again, with her and Jag's third child. She stretched out with the Force once more, finding the small life inside her. Then a cold chill seized her. She looked up to see the spectral form of her long-dead brother Anakin standing in front of her. He pointed to her stomach._

_"This is the new generation. This is the hope of the Jedi. She will do more for the Jedi than I ever would have."_

_Jaina__ looked on her brother in wonder. He continued to speak._

_"And as for you, dear sister, if you do not venture into the storm, you will lose all you have fought to build. Go, now! Bring them to safety, but know that the Journey is not over yet."_

_Jaina__ opened her mouth to say something, anything, but her voice would not allow it. She turned from her brother and began to walk into the approaching storm._

Jaina awoke with a start. Anakin's words still echoed in her ears. She stretched her arms over her, finding that she could move, but the movements brought much pain. She could feel her joints grinding in their sockets, but she was free; from what, though, she could not remember. She swung her head around, looking for someone, anyone she knew, but all she saw was unfamiliar lush vegetation. And then she saw him.

Jacen.

He was hanging in a strange looking plant. It had a hold on all his limbs and she could see that it was pulling on him. Jaina's face went slack as she realized what was holding Jacen.

It was an Embrace of Pain. And they were on Yuuzhan'tar.

The door to the chamber opened, revealing a human female. Jaina tried to reach out with the Force, finding that she had a limited access. But even with her limited access, she knew who it was. Danni Quee had betrayed them. And now, she was here to gloat.

"Well Jaina, I'll bet you're wondering why Jacen is in the Embrace and you are here."

Jaina said nothing. Her face betrayed no emotions. She simply sat and listened, all the while formulating a plan to escape in the back of her mind. She may not have full access to the Force, but she still knew how to think on her feet. All that time as a squadron leader was certainly not for her health. She forced herself to concentrate on what Danni was saying.

"…and so he traded places with you. You see, he knew what you were going through, and he also knew that your body could not handle the pain and protect the twins. So he convinced the creature to let you go and accept him in you place. Now, your dear brother hangs on the Embrace and you are left utterly defenseless"

_So you think, Danni, Jaina thought. "Why are you doing this?" she finally asked._

Danni said nothing this time, but flashed a poisonous smile and walked out of the chamber, leaving Jaina lying on the floor and Jacen in the Embrace.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Tenel Ka paced the length of the throne room. Occasionally, she would pause and stretch out with her Force-sense, just to see if she could find any spark of her two dearest friends. When she could find them, they were not the blazing stars-going-novas they usually were in the Force, but rather, the size of their presences was almost immeasurable. And from one of the Force pinpricks she identified as Jacen and Jaina, she felt a constant white-hot pain.

The doors to the throne room opened, revealing Jag and Kyp. Both men rushed into the room and skidded to a halt in front of the Queen Mother. They both bowed very crisply and snapped back up. Jag spoke first.

"I wish I could say that I was pleased to see you, Queen Mother, but given the circumstances, I think you can understand why this is not a meeting I'd like to be in right now."

"You are forgiven, Colonel." Tenel Ka waved a hand, signaling to Jag to continue.

"What can we do to help you, Queen Mother?"

Tenel Ka faced the two men, her lips set in a grim line of determination. "You can help me plan the assault on Yuuzhan'tar."

The men looked stunned. "Do you really think this is the best course of action?" Kyp asked. He wanted nothing more than to get Jacen and Jaina back, but launching an attack was treading dangerously close to the Dark side. He had fallen to the Dark once before, and he had watched Jaina fall to the Dark. He was not going to allow Tenel Ka to fall too.

But Tenel Ka's steel-hued eyes would not allow for any arguments. "It is if you want to get Jacen and Jaina back, for they are on Yuuzhan'tar."

Both Jag and Kyp went ashen. "You're sure of this?" Jag asked.

"I am positive. The Solo twins are on Yuuzhan'tar and if we do not reach them in time, they will die."

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

A/N: Just some responses to the reviews I've been getting. I do it for the people over at tF.net, so why not for you guys too?

**Jedidanny- He's not really Force-sensitive, he just has a bond with Jaina. He can sense her and she can sense him. They can communicate this way too. In the books, they say that Jag has a very strong Force presence, so why wouldn't he be able to bond with someone who is Force-sensitive?  The story is a little AU, so anything's possible! Also, I can't seem to figure out how to transfer the story from Word to ff.net and keep the italics and stuff. I'll figure it out eventually, but if you know how, let me know! And I hope this chapter satisfies your need for more for the time being! Thanks!!**

**Master Yoda- I plan to keep writing! Thanks for the encouragement!**

**Movielover03- Good to see you back! Keep reading and you'll find out!**

**Blackwings- Thanks!!**

**Flute- Yay!! You're back too!! Keep reading for more!!**

**Master Jacen- Ah, my beloved co-author. You got the first review, lol. I guess it seems only fitting.**

That's all for now. More to come later!


	4. Is This Right?

**Chapter 4: Is This Right?**

Jaina tore at the Embrace, trying to free her brother. She clawed at the vines over and over, eventually turning her hands raw to the point of bleeding. Reluctantly, she stepped back and sat down, taking the break to fall into a healing trance. Her connection to the Force was not diminished to the point where she could not manage a simple healing trance. When she awoke, the scene she awoke to was almost the exact same as the one she had left. The only key difference was that Jacen was out of the Embrace for the moment. Jaina rose and rushed to her brother's side.

"Jasa, can you hear me?"

Jacen's eyes fluttered open. The hazy brown pupils tried to focus on Jaina's face, but to no avail. Jacen was in a semi-conscious state. 

"Jasa! Answer me!"

Jacen opened his parched mouth to speak, but the words would not escape his throat. Jaina took a couple steps back from Jacen, all the while dragging him with her. Once he was out of reach of the Embrace, Jaina set to work on putting her twin into a healing trance. She almost laughed at the irony of it all. Usually, it was Jacen who had to help Jaina into healing trances. And despite Jaina being older than Jacen by only a few standard minutes, it was usually Jacen who came to her rescue, not the other way around.

_Come back to me, Jasa,_ she thought. _You'd better come back. I can't do this alone._

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Across the galaxy, the exact same thought was being echoed by Tenel Ka.

_Come back to me, Jacen,_ she thought. _You'd better come back. I can't do this alone._

Tenel Ka stared out of a window in the palace, surveying the preparation of the Hapans in the assault on Yuuzhan'tar. The Hapan fleet was strong and well-prepared, but Tenel Ka couldn't help but think that she was sending her people to their deaths.

_Am I really doing the right thing? Going after Jacen like this? It feels right, but, Force knows, this seems so wrong…It's madness, really! Maybe I should just call the whole assault off. Jacen is strong enough and Jaina is resourceful enough. The combination of their skills is enough to escape the Vong. But is enough enough? Will they really survive this?_

Tenel Ka drew a deep, steady, cleansing breath. She needed to push such thoughts and doubts aside. Jacen and Jaina were going to live through this. Jacen was going to come back to her. Of this she was absolutely certain.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Jacen awoke from the healing trance to find his sister staring at him.

"Didn't think I'd let you go that easily did you?"

Jacen almost laughed. Here they were: captives on Yuuzhan'tar, not a friend in the galaxy among them, and Jaina still made attempts at levity. That was supposed to be his job! Instead, Jacen flashed his sister an imfamous Solo grin.

"So what's the plan?" he asked.


	5. Xaria

**Chapter 5: Xaria**

Jacen Solo sat in the small room that was doubling as a cell. He and Jaina were quietly planning amongst themselves. 

"What about your Vongsense?" Jaina inquired.

"I tried it already." Jacen replied, "For some reason, I can't access it. How about we sne-" he started to strategize, when he was interrupted by a loud gasp by Jaina. "Jaya, Jaya? Are you all right?" Jacen asked in a worried voice.

"I can feel him again. I can feel Jag." Jaina said warmly. 

_Jag! Jag, can you feel me?_, she inquired over their mental link.

_Jaina__?_ Where are you? Are you hurt? Is Jacen with you? Are our children alright? Don't worry baby, we're coming to get you!  _Jag replied hurriedly, as if he was afraid their link would close._

_Coruscant__._ No. Yes. And Yes. _She replied. _

Jacen sat there watching his sister talk to her husband over their mental link. He was so intent on pondering how Jaina and Jag had created their mental link, that he didn't notice the lone figure enter the small room.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Kyp sat in the hangar bay on Hapes, clearly frustrated. He had been trying for the last four hours to fix the repulsorlifts on the _Frozen Amethyst.  Jag had gone off about an hour ago, claiming that he was "taking a walk". _

_That's a pretty long walk,_ Kyp thought ruefully. He reached for the hydrospanner, but his hand never found it. Instead, he connected with flesh. Under the _Amethyst_, he couldn't see what he was grabbing at. Then, he heard a soft female voice, obviously the owner of the flesh he was touching.

"Is my knee really that attractive?" she asked.

Embarrassed, Kyp slid out from under the _Amethyst_. In front of him stood possibly the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She had deep auburn hair that extended to her waist and big startling ice-blue eyes. "Ummm….I was looking for this." He said, standing and grabbing the first thing he could find, a fusion coil. He looked sheepishly down at his hands, suddenly wishing that he were under the _Amethyst again._

"If I'm guessing correctly, you don't use fusion coils to repair damaged repulsorlifts." She said, laughing.

Kyp shot her an annoyed glance. "And I supposed that you know how to fix them?"

The woman smiled. "Actually, yes, I do." There was no gloating in her tone, just an eagerness to help that Kyp could see in her eyes. He nodded.

"Alright, then. I can use all the help I can get."

The woman extended her hand. "I'm Xaria Bian, wandering soul and mechanic extraordinaire. And you would be…?"

Kyp took her extended hand. It was warm and much smaller than his. He could have sworn he felt a jolt of electricity when their flesh had connected. He shook those thoughts from his mind. "Kyp," he said, "Kyp Durron-" 

Xaria gasped. "Kyp _Durron_?!" she squeaked.

Kyp laughed. He offered her a low, sweeping bow. "None other." He said.

"The same Kyp Durron who-"

He nodded, solemnly. "The same, physically at least. The mind is older, tired."

Xaria eyed him, warily. "I guess that would explain the fusion coil for the repulsorlifts." 

Kyp laughed again. "So are you going to help me or not?"

"Just show me where to start."

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Jacen slowly turned his head, as he realized that there was someone else in the room with him and his sister. It was Danni Quee. She threw a sword in his direction. He caught it subliminally and slowly stood up, weary from the Embrace. "Fight?" he asked.

"Fight." Danni confirmed.


	6. Duel of the Fates

**Chapter 6**

He stood there, breathing heavily. He held in his hand a ceremonial-fighting sword. His opponent suddenly let out a shrill scream. She ran towards him as he brought his sword up in a defensive stance. The twin swords met.   
  
Durasteel scraped durasteel as the two opponents fought for the upper hand in the winner takes all battle of life and death. His mind was fully into the battle. His body, a living weapon. His opponent was weaker than him. He knew he could defeat her. All he had to do was find the right opening.   
  
He jumped back, narrowly dodging a swipe from his opponent. He brought his sword back up, and took to the offense.   
  
Swipe. Slash. Parry. Backstep. His mind was arush with keeping up with her attacks. She was faster than him. He knew that now. In fighting, quicker was better than stronger. He had long ago started to perspire. His hands were wet with sweat. Once again, he took to the offensive side of the battle.   
  
The two warriors were an even match. He knew that the only hope of survival he had was to overpower her grip on the sword. He took a risk, and raised his sword high. His opponent took advantage of the situation, and lunged her sword forward. He quickly brought his sword down, with all of his strength.   
  
For several seconds, nothing happened. Then she fell to the ground. He looked around the room, which was eerily silent. He looked down, and smiled. There was a sword in him. A sword with a hand on it. He reached down, and pulled his hand up. There was blood on his fingertips.   
  
He looked around him, for what was possibly the last time, and fell to the ground.

Jaina watched in slow motion as Jacen fell to the ground, bleeding from the sword wound in his stomach. 

"JASA!!!" she screamed as she ran to his side. Danni lay nearby, completely unconscious. Jaina's Force awareness suddenly came flooding back to her. She realized that Danni had been blocking them. She pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind as she set to work to slowing the flow of blood coming from Jacen.

"Jasa, hold on. Please hold on." Jaina pleaded.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Kyp was laughing uncontrollably as Jag came back into the hangar. He noted the petite red-head standing next to him, working on the ship. 

"How soon until the _Amethyst _is up and running again?" Jag asked.

"Not too long now, just have to…..there. Done," The woman said. Jag looked questioningly at Kyp, who smile in turn.

"Jag Fel, meet Xaria Bian. Self made wandering soul and mechanic extraordinaire." Xaria proffered a hand at Kyp's introduction, which Jag accepted.

"Thank you for helping Kyp with the ship, Ms. Bian-"

"Xaria, please."

"-Xaria. If there's any way we can repay you, I'll gladly cover any expenses."

Xaria held up a hand. "I only ask for two things in payment. One, if I could so kindly hitch a ride off this rock from you, I would greatly appreciate it."

Jag looked at Kyp. The eagerness in Kyp's eyes could not be masked. Jag stifled a laugh.  "Of course. And the other…?"

"Good ole Kyp here has to take me out for dinner."

Again, Jag glanced at Kyp, who nodded once, the anticipation glittering in his eyes. "I guess it's a deal then. We're leaving in a standard hour."

Xaria nodded. "I'll get my stuff."

Kyp laughed. "And I'll get to-" He stopped mid-sentence and grabbed at his stomach, doubling over in pain. "Jacen!" he cried out before he plunged into the darkness.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Jacen lay on the ground, detached from the physical world. The pain that was initially there had disappeared. He didn't care though. Pain was nothing to him. He saw only shadows.

Jaina quickly ripped the sword out of his chest.

Jacen saw a long, straight shape pulled from the area of his chest. He smiled. _Whose hand was that? he wondered faintly. Must have been that girl's… What was her name again? Denny? Danny? Danni. That was it. Danni Queen. Shame for her. _

Jaina quickly ripped off  Jacen's shirt and placed it over the wound.

_Hey! That's my shirt! What are you doing?_ Jacen thought absentmindedly. _Hahaha__.__ I look good shirtless. Except for that blood of course. __Hey! Don't wipe the blood with my shirt! That's a good shirt! He continued thinking. _

Jaina slumped over, unconscious.

_"Jasa!__ Jasa! Come back here!" A figure said in Jacen's head._

_Ha. Hahaha! Jasa! What kind of a name is that? Jacen thought._

_"Jasa, it's me Jaya. Your sister! Take my hand" she said._

_"What? Why?" he said, grabbing her hand._

_"Because you're getting married.__ You have to survive for your fiancée. Do it for her." She said._

_"Fiancée?__ Who am I getting married to" he asked._

_"Tenel Ka! Don't you remember, Tenel Ka? Warrior queen from Dathomir and Hapes?" she reminded him._

_"Oh…her… I'm getting married to her?" he asked._

_"Yes!" she replied._

_"Oh…o-"_ he started to say, but suddenly stopped as his eyes opened, consciousness flooding back to him. _Who was that? It was that Danni girl again,_ Jacen thought deliriously. 

"NOW I WILL FINISH YOU, JACEN SOLO!" she growled, " Die- oops…" she used the Force to call her lightsaber to her hand, except her hand wasn't there, so the saber went flying away from her. 

"Some Jedi you are, can't even call your lightsaber to you," Jaina said as she called Danni's discarded saber to her hand, a feral glint in her eyes. "Now you'll see what happens to those who hurt my brother."


	7. Training Day

**CHAPTER 7**

"Kyp!" Xaria exclaimed. "What is it?"

"Jacen. Jacen's hurt." Kyp's pained expression told Xaria everything she needed to know.

"But I thought that you weren't that close to Jacen," Jag piped in.

"I'm not, but Jaina is, and this is what she's sending to me through the Force."

"Wait! Who's Jaina?" Xaria asked suspiciously.

"My wife and Kyp's partner." Jag said.

"Partner? Do you three have some kind of kinky 'thing' going on that I should know about?" Xaria asked teasingly.

Jag seemed to redden slightly. "I hardly think so, _Ms. Bian." His tone became glacial._

"Hold on, Colonel! I was joking!" Xaria held her palms up in a non-threatening way.

Jag softened slightly and nodded before he turned back to Kyp, who had been silent through the whole exchange. "What is she telling you?" he said.

"Jacen's hurt, badly, but she thinks she can manage it."

Jag let out a laugh of surprise. "No offense to my lovely wife, but she can barely manage a healing trance on herself, let alone healing someone else. You tell her that we're coming after her."

Kyp was silent while relaying Jag's message. Then his eyes shot open.

"What?" Xaria asked. "Something's not right."

Kyp nodded, his stomach frosting over. "She says not to come. That if Jag and I go, we'll be killed."

"But-" Jag started.

"They're right. If you and Kyp leave Hapes, you will die." The trio turned to face the new voice, that of Tenel Ka. "Jaina has had the same vision that has been plaguing me for the last few weeks."

"Wait? Visions? So I'm not going mad?" Xaria asked incredulously. 

Kyp turned to the small redhead. "You're having visions, Xar? What are they of?"

Xaria kept a steady eye on Tenel Ka as she spoke. "Two men of green fire, great pilots and warriors alike. Both trying to save a woman they love. Another comes. Another green fire. The Darkest Knight. It consumes the men, and their fire burns out. Two of brown ice melt. Turn to the dark. The green fire consumes all. Fire, ice, all gone. All that is left is green."

"It is as I feared, then," Tenel Ka said as she turned to Jag and Kyp, "I cannot allow you to go."

"You cannot tell me whether or not I am 'allowed' to go after my wife!"

"Colonel! Come to your senses! Do you really want to leave your wife and children alone? If you leave Hapes now, you will die. Nothing you can do can change that and to chance it would be a fool's errand!"

Jag hung his head as tears stung his eyes. "Then what do I do?" he said, despairingly. 

"You may help coordinate the attack on Coruscant. I cannot do it alone. Your tactical genius is what won the last battle here at Hapes." Tenel Ka said gently.

Jag nodded and followed Tenel Ka out of the hangar bay, more determined to save his wife.

Kyp and Xaria were silent for a long time. The newfound knowledge of Xaria's visions had rendered Kyp flabbergasted, as did the actual vision itself.

_Could it be possible? Could she be Force-senstitive? _Kyp thought

"I don't know," Xaria said. "Is it possible?"

Kyp shot her a wry glance. "I don't think there's any question now. Let me try something. Master Skywalker did this to me to test my Force potential."

"Alright." Xaria said.

"Okay, I need you to relax. You should feel me probing your mind."

"Wait a minute! Probing?! Nobody said anything about a probe! I don't think so buddy!"

"A mental probe, Xar. It won't hurt you. I promise. Please, trust me."

"Alright." Xaria said warily. 

"Close your eyes then." Kyp replied.

Xaria closed her eyes, allowing an almost peaceful expression to cross over her features.

_Force, she looks beautiful,_ Kyp thought. He stood still in front of her for the longest time, admiring her.

"Anytime there, Kyppie."

"Oh, right." Kyp said, thankful that her eyes weren't open so she didn't see the reddening of his face. He put his hands to either side of her face, his fingers touching her temples. He opened himself to the Force, searching for a connection to Xaria. He found her easily and forged a tentative link to her. He gently touched his mind to hers. Her reflexes brought up her mental shields as he touched her.

_Relax._ Kyp told her.

_Sorry._ Xaria replied, sending him a sheepish smile.

_It's alright. Just relax. I'm not going to hurt you. _Kyp touched Xaria's mind once again and this time she managed to keep her shields down. He worked his way back to the unconscious nub that Master Skywalker had told him about. He found it and gently pushed against-

Kyp was thrown back into the _Amethyst with enough force to soundly knock the wind out of him. Xaria opened her eyes at the resounding THUD! Kyp's body made as it hit the ship._

"Oh gods! Kyp! Are you alright?! Did I hurt you!? What happened!? What in the hell did I do?!" 

Kyp held up a hand to silence Xaria's questions. "I really don't think there's any question as to whether or not you're Force-sensitive now. And as for what happened, you didn't do anything. I was testing you. And believe me, you passed! When Master Skywalker tested me, I threw him across the room!"

Xaria laughed aloud. "So now what do I do?"

"Well, if you'd like, I could train you. But you'll owe me big time for it." Kyp gave her a roguish grin.

"And what would I owe you?" Xaria said flirtatiously.

"Another dinner date, or two, or three…." Kyp said in mock seriousness. 

Xaria paused for a long while, inadvertently putting Kyp through agonizing torture.

"Hmmm…how badly do I want to be a Jedi?" Xaria mused aloud, twisting the knife and prolonging Kyp's agony. He didn't know why, but for some reason, he wanted Xaria to accept his 'bribe'. He wanted to train her to use the Force. He wanted to get to know her. He didn't want her to be another meaningless fling in his book.

Xaria looked up from her mock consideration, her eyes locking with Kyp's. For a moment, she couldn't remember how to breathe. The deep emerald green of Kyp's eyes captivated her. She wanted more than anything to say 'yes' to his offer. Without even realizing what she was doing, she stepper closer to him, her eyes still locked with his. She nodded her head in acceptance of both his offer and the attraction she could no longer fight or flirt around with. She took another step toward him, closing the already short space between them. Kyp's intense gaze held her for several long moments. Then, Kyp abruptly stepped back, breaking the spell he had over her.

Kyp managed to regain his composure quickly.

"So, when do you want to start your training?"

* * * * * * * * * * *

Kyp decided to start with levitation. It was the best way to evaluate how well an apprentice caught on to using the Force. Xaria took to levitation easily, and, within an hour after learning the basics, she was levitating a few small tools, the toolbox, and Kyp's lightsaber all at the same time.

Kyp watched the objects whirling around his head. "So, I think we've covered intermediate levitation techniques," he said wryly.

Xaria laughed as she directed a hydrospanner past Kyp's head and back into the toolbox, which was now resting on the ground. "Only intermediate?" she asked. "And here I though I was just a beginner."

"Well, you are, but you catch on pretty quickly. I honestly couldn't ask for a better student." He smiled as her face lit up at his unexpected compliment. "So now that we've got levitation down we should move on to meditation."

Xaria scrunched up her nose and stuck out her tongue. "So all that stuff about Jedi being all 'Oh, let's think about it' is true?"

Kyp laughed. "No, not _all of it, but meditation is essential to being a Jedi. Meditation helps us clear our mind and listen to the Force. The Force directs us, it strengthens us. It speaks to us."_

"And there's no way I can get out of it?" Xaria asked jokingly.

"No, now sit."

Xaria obliged by taking up a cross-legged position across from Kyp, who was, by this time, sitting on the ground.

"Clear your mind," he instructed. "I'll walk you through this the first couple of times. After that, you're on your own."

Kyp linked his mind to Xaria's and they easily fell into deep meditation. Since this was Xaria's first time, Kyp did not push the direction in which the Force guided her. They were simply caught up in the flow of the Force, reaching out and touching the native life-forms. Xaria let out a small gasp of surprise as she realized the true magnitude of the Force and just how insignificant she was compared to it. She tried to reach out and immerse herself in the energies coming toward her when the vision blasted through her senses, assaulting both her and Kyp's consciousnesses. 

_Two men of green fire, great pilots and warriors alike.__ Both trying to save a woman they love. Another comes. Another green fire. The Darkest Knight. It consumes the men, and their fire burns out. Two of brown ice melt. Turn to the dark. The green fire consumes all. Fire, ice, all gone. All that is left is green._

Xaria jerked herself out her connection to Kyp, gasping in pain. Kyp opened his eyes slowly, not quite sure what he should say. The pain was etched in her face, engraved in her eyes.

"Don't leave me, Kyp. You can't die on me now."


End file.
